NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE15-024: Brake Power Assist Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-024 on June 18, 2015 and closed it on December 9, 2015. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2013–2014 Dodge Dart for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE15-024 (also written PE15024)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed December 9, 2015
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
- Components
- Service Brakes; Service Brakes, Hydraulic; Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Power Assist
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2013–2014 Dodge Dart
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE15-024.
On November 24, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, US LLC, (FCA), submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA regarding a brake booster defect in approximately 105,458 model year (MY) 2013 through 2014Dodge Dart vehicles equipped with a 2.0L or 2.4L engine and produced between February 27, 2012 and January 23, 2014 (NHTSA Recall# 15V-800, FCA Recall# R63).
According to FCA's DIR, the affected vehicles, may experience engine oil migration from the vacuum pump to the brake booster.
Brake booster diaphragms exposed to oil may become damaged, resulting in a loss of brake power assist.
FCA's recall will inspect the affected vehicles for the presence of engine oil in the brake booster.
If no oil is found, the vacuum tube assembly will be replaced with a new design part.
If oil is found, the vacuum pump, vacuum tube assembly, brake booster and master cylinder will be replaced.
On June 18, 2015, the Office of Defects Investigations opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-024 to investigate complaints alleging sudden increases in brake pedal effort with corresponding reductions in brake performance in MY 2013 Dodge Dart vehicles.
The vehicle population and Failure Report figures in this resume are limited to the MY 2013 Dodge Dart vehicles that are the subject vehicles of PE15-024 all of which are included in the FCA recall.
Some of the complaints reported hearing a popping noise during a brake application, which corresponded with sudden reaction force from the brake pedal, increased difficulty in applying the pedal and decreased brake effectiveness.
FCA's analysis of field return booster assemblies indicated that some brake booster diaphragms exposed to the engine oil leak condition experienced sudden catastrophic ruptures, resulting in complete loss of booster function.
This investigation is hereby closed based on the FCA recall.
The VOQs associated with the closing of this investigation are: 10795258, 10795140, 10790670, 10790397, 10786152, 10786142, 10783492, 10783153, 10781418, 10779446, 10778244, 10776581, 10765244, 10765141, 10763566, 10763143, 10762254, 10761075, 10760965, 10759817, 10758707, 10758639, 10750235, 10748935, 10747634, 10745494, 10745395, 10745185, 10744577, 10744361, 10744052, 10736149, 10734443, 10734108, 10732067, 10726648, 10715993, 10713690, 10695212, 10668965, 10660526, 10659435, 10638228, 10620713, 10619184, 10610512, 10597398, 10583883, 10569142, 10565689, 10556239, and 10533008.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE15-024. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Dodge
All Dodge recallsWhat an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Dodge VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE15-024
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.